The real spirit of the games is seen after the hard-fought tennis match between Glenn Jones and Erin Bailey as they hug at the net. The Special Olympics Delaware Summer Games are being held this weekend at the University of Delaware.(Photo: ROBERT CRAIG/THE NEWS JOURNAL)

NEWARK – The match was over, and Glenn Jones and Erin Bailey immediately met at the net and hugged, then grabbed their equipment and walked off the court together while a small crowd in the stands roared with approval.

The scene was reminiscent of what one might see at the French Open championship, although Bailey is hoping her favorite player, Maria Sharapova, is the one getting congratulated by her opponent Saturday.

It's not an accident that Jones and Bailey would mimic the professional tennis players. They pretty much think of tennis all day, picking up on the nuances and the players' on-court mannerisms.

"Sharapova is my favorite," Bailey said. "I think I play like her."

Special Olympics Delaware has given them this chance to compete. It's not only kept them active, but developed their personalities. That, in essence, is the spirit of SODE, which is hosting its 44th annual Summer Games this weekend. The event has been held at University of Delaware for the past 26 years.

In all, 720 athletes, 110 Unified Partners (peers without disabilities), 210 coaches/team volunteers and more than 1,000 volunteers are participating in six sports – aquatics, track and field, bocce, powerlifting, softball and tennis.

"We're like brother and sister," Bailey said. "We torment each other [during a match], but afterward, we're happy for each other."

That's because they're also doubles partners. The two will be ranked as the No. 1 mixed doubles pair at the Special Olympics USA Games in Princeton, N.J., from June 14-21. They will also play singles. Bailey plays against the men because there aren't any women at her skill level.

There's a chance that they could end up representing the U.S. in the Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles in the summer of 2015.

"We work well together," Bailey said. "We always communicate and talk strategy. I tell him where to put his shots, and he does it."

Marie McIntosh, a volunteer coach for Jones and Bailey, said the greatest contribution from the Special Olympics can be seen off the court.

"They're more outgoing, they're more confident," McIntosh said. "You can see that whenever they play. Even if they're playing someone who isn't up to their caliber, they're very complimentary and very encouraging."

Bailey's mother, Shirley, noticed this ever since Erin was a junior at Delcastle Technical High School in 1998, when the school first partnered with Special Olympics. That gave Erin, a lifelong sports fan, a chance to play on a team.

"She has learned teamwork and sportsmanship," Shirley Bailey said. "She helps out other players. Before that, it was 'me, me, me,' and she would be mad if she lost."

Jones, 50, said the best part of participating is visiting new places. Jones went to Greece for the World Games three years ago. Bailey, who'll turn 32 on June 18, and Jones have both participated in USA Games competitions in Iowa, Colorado and Nebraska, among others.

"You get to see a lot of sights and everything," Jones said. "You see interesting cultures and you play a lot of tennis, travel to different players and meet a lot of people. It's a lot of fun."

When he was in Greece, Jones traded some of his USA clothing for clothing from other countries. That included the hat he wore Friday, which was white with "Italia" in green lettering on top of the Special Olympics logo.

Jones and Bailey both play other sports, but tennis is their favorite by far. They have followed the French Open closely and can't wait until Wimbledon starts in a few weeks. And they've both met some of the sport's best players, including John McEnroe and Billie Jean King.

Bailey said she would love the chance to meet Sharapova and play at the U.S. Open venue in New York one day. The dream is a product of her love for tennis and the chance to play it in the Special Olympics.

"If I wasn't playing tennis, I'd just be at home sitting around," Bailey said. "[Instead], I'm an athlete and a very active person."